| 摘要 |
PURPOSE:To obtain the subject compound in high yield and efficiency by oxidizing a polycyclic aromatic compound having specific substituent such as alkyl or acyl with molecular oxygen in the presence of a basic catalyst in water or in a mixture of water and a water-miscible organic solvent. CONSTITUTION:A polycyclic aromatic carboxylic acid such as naphthalenecarboxylic acid useful as a raw material for photographic developer, etc., can be produced in high yield by oxidizing a polycyclic aromatic compound (e.g. naphthalene) having one or more kinds of substituents selected from alkyl, acyl and their oxidation intermediate with molecular oxygen in water or in a mixture of water and a water-miscible organic solvent in the presence of a basic catalyst, thereby suppressing side reactions and almost completely converting the charged raw material into the objective carboxylic acid or its intermediate. when the ratio of formed oxidation intermediate is high, the above oxidation product is post-oxidized with molecular oxygen in a reaction solvent containing a lower aliphatic monocarboxylic acid in the presence of a heavy metal catalyst to obtain the objective carboxylic acid in a short time in high yield. |
